It’s hard to believe that it’s been 20 years since the year 2002. It seems like yesterday when we were all just kids playing with our new toys, running frantically around our house, and escaping our parents to avoid naptime.
But you know what’s harder to believe? Some of our favorite animated shows are turning 20 years old as well (time flies fast around here, huh?)! Do you feel old yet? Well, you’re not alone because we feel the same way.
Prepare to feel nostalgic as we take a trip down memory lane and look back at some of our favorite animated TV shows that are now two decades old.
Mr. Bean: The Animated Series
Based on the live-action sitcom of the same name, Mr. Bean, also known as Mr. Bean: The Animated Series, first aired on January 5, 2002. The British animated series follows the adventures of Mr. Bean as he navigates his life in London with his lifelong best friend Teddy, his girlfriend Irma Gobb, and his landlady Mrs. Wickett and her cat Scrapper.
ChalkZone
Premiered on March 22, 2002, on Nickelodeon, ChalkZone is an animated series that centers on an elementary school student Rudy Tabootie, who discovers a box of magic chalks that allows him to enter another dimension called ChalkZone, where Rudy finds out that everything he draws and erases on a blackboard will come to life. Rudy is joined by his sidekick Snap and his best friend Penny Sanchez as they embark on exciting adventures.
Max & Ruby
Set in a town called Eastbunny Hop, Max & Ruby is an animated children’s television series that is based on Rosemary Wells’ book series of the same name. The series’ premise revolves around the sibling relationship of two bunnies: three-year-old Max and seven-year-old Ruby. Max & Ruby first aired on May 3, 2002, in Canada, and later debuted on Nickelodeon’s Nick Jr. on October 21, 2002.
Kim Possible
Taking place in Middleton, USA, Disney’s animated series Kim Possible, which debuted on June 7, 2002, follows the life of the titular protagonist, who’s a high-school cheerleader by day and crime-fighter by night. Together with her sidekick Ron Stoppable and his pet mole-rat Rufus, they are tasked to save the world against the evil plans of the world’s supervillains.
The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
On July 20, 2002, Nickelodeon introduced to the world the computer-animated series, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. The series is based on John A. Davis’ 2001 film Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. The show continues to tell the story of Jimmy Neutron, a genius young boy who invents gadgets that often get him and his friends and family into crazy adventures.
Naruto
Naruto is a Japanese animated series that is based on Masashi Kishimoto’s two one-shot manga: Karakuri (1995) and Naruto (1997). The animated series centers on Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja who’s in pursuit of his dream to become the Hokage, the village’s leader and strongest ninja, and to receive recognition from the villagers. Naruto premiered across Japan and Animax on October 3, 2002. The series also spawned Naruto: Shippuden, which takes place two years after the events in the first series.
Codename: Kids Next Door
Debuted on December 6, 2002, Cartoon Network’s Codename: Kids Next Door, also known as Kids Next Door, is an animated series that focuses on a group of five-year-old kids, called Numbuh 1 through 5, who are all members of Kids Next Door, a global organization for children that are tasked to protect the children and fight against adult enemies.
Feel old yet? If you’re looking for another dose of nostalgia, you can also check out our lists of iconic songs and video games that are also turning 20 in 2022.
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